Straddle-type vehicle

Abstract

A straddle-type vehicle is provided, which includes a battery case having an accommodation space that accommodates a battery pack and an opening via which the battery pack is attached and detached, a pressing mechanism including an abutting member that is capable of abutting the battery pack in a state where the battery pack is accommodated in the accommodation space of the battery case, and a retainer that holds the abutting member that abuts the battery pack while pressing the abutting member toward the battery pack, and a cover that bypasses the pressing mechanism while being connected to the battery case, and that opens and closes the opening of the battery case.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a straddle-type vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] A known type of straddle-type vehicle includes a battery pack that can be removed from the vehicle body.

[0003] WO2015 / 068753A1 discloses a straddle-type electric vehicle that includes an upward-opening battery pack.

[0004] The opening of the battery compartment is covered by a cover that can rotate between a closed and an open position about an axis on the rear portion of the cover. The cover is provided with an upper spring that presses against the upper surface of the battery pack when the cover is closed.

[0005] Because it is necessary for the enclosure cover disclosed in the referenced document to function as a cover for preventing foreign objects from entering the battery box and as a support for the springs pressing against the battery pack, the structure of the enclosure cover may be limited. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Therefore, this disclosure provides a straddle-type vehicle that increases design freedom while preventing the movement of the battery pack.

[0007] According to one illustrative aspect of this disclosure, a straddle-type vehicle includes: a battery box having a receiving space for accommodating a battery pack and an opening for attaching and removing the battery pack via the opening of the receiving space; a pressing mechanism including an abutment member and a retainer, the abutment member being capable of abutting the battery pack while the battery pack is accommodated in the receiving space of the battery box, the retainer holding the abutment member abutting the battery pack while pressing the abutment member against the battery pack; and a cover bypassing the pressing mechanism and connected to the battery box, the cover opening and closing the opening of the battery box.

[0008] According to this disclosure, a straddle-type vehicle can be provided that increases design freedom while preventing the movement of the battery pack. Attached Figure Description

[0009] Figure 1 This is a side view of a motorcycle according to the first embodiment;

[0010] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A top view of the motorcycle shown;

[0011] Figure 3 When Figure 1The enlarged side cross-sectional view of the area near the battery compartment when the outer cover is closed;

[0012] Figure 4 When Figure 1 The enlarged side cross-sectional view of the area near the battery compartment with the outer cover in the open position is shown.

[0013] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 An enlarged side cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the battery box shown;

[0014] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 The top view of the inner cover shown;

[0015] Figure 7 yes Figure 1 The side cross-sectional view near the inner cover shown illustrates the press-release operation of the inner cover;

[0016] Figure 8 yes Figure 1 The side cross-sectional view near the inner cover shown illustrates the opening operation of the inner cover;

[0017] Figure 9 This is an enlarged perspective view of the vibrator near the pressed state of the motorcycle according to the second embodiment;

[0018] Figure 10 This is a side cross-sectional view of the retainer according to the second embodiment;

[0019] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram showing the inner cover slightly open in the second embodiment;

[0020] Figure 12 This is an enlarged side cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the battery box of the motorcycle according to the third embodiment;

[0021] Figure 13 This is a top view of the inner cover according to the third embodiment;

[0022] Figure 14 This is a perspective view showing the construction of the pressing mechanism according to the third embodiment;

[0023] Figure 15 This is a side cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of the retainer in the pressed state in the third embodiment;

[0024] Figure 16 This is an enlarged side cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the battery box of the motorcycle according to the fourth embodiment; and

[0025] Figure 17 This is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the accommodating space in the fourth embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The following description of various embodiments will refer to the drawings.

[0027] First Embodiment

[0028] Overall Configuration

[0029] Figure 1 This is a side view of motorcycle 1 according to the first embodiment. Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A top view of motorcycle 1 shown; in Figure 2 In this text, components such as the outer cover 30, the housing 70, and the inner cover 51 are omitted; these components will be described later. Figure 1 As shown, motorcycle 1 is an example of a straddle-type vehicle on which the rider sits. In the following description, referring to the direction of view from the rider of motorcycle 1, the front-to-back direction corresponds to the length direction of the vehicle, while the left-to-right direction corresponds to the width direction of the vehicle.

[0030] Motorcycle 1 includes a front wheel 2, a rear wheel 3, a frame 4, a front suspension 5 connecting the front wheel 2 to the front portion of the frame 4, and a rear suspension (not shown) connecting the rear wheel 3 to the rear portion of the frame 4. In this embodiment, the front wheel 2 is the driven wheel, and the rear wheel 3 is the driving wheel. The front suspension 5 is connected to brackets 6 arranged at intervals in the vertical direction. The steering shaft connected to the brackets 6 is supported by a front tube 4a, which is part of the frame 4, to allow for angular displacement.

[0031] The steering axis is equipped with handlebars 7 for the rider to grip. A seat 9 for the rider to sit on is located behind the handlebars 7. The seat 9 is supported by the frame 4.

[0032] An electric motor 10 and a battery pack 20, serving as the driving source, are positioned between the front wheel 2 and the rear wheel 3. The electric motor 10 and battery pack 20 are supported by the vehicle frame 4. The electric motor 10 generates rotational driving force that is transmitted to the rear wheel 3, which serves as the drive wheel. The electric motor 10 is located below the seat 9. Furthermore, the electric motor 10 is positioned in front of the front end portion (hereinafter referred to as the "seat front end portion") 9a ​​of the center portion in the left-right direction of the seat 9.

[0033] In the electric motor 10, the electric power is derived from the battery pack 11 (see...). Figure 2 The battery pack is supplied by the battery 1 and is housed in a battery box 20 (corresponding to a battery support) that forms a housing chamber. An outer cover 30 is attached to the battery box 20, and the battery pack 11 can be attached and removed by opening and closing the outer cover 30 of the motorcycle 1.

[0034] The battery pack 11 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape. In this embodiment, as... Figure 2 As shown, the battery box 20 can accommodate two battery packs 11, such that the two battery packs 11 with the same shape are aligned in the left-right direction.

[0035] Battery box

[0036] Figure 3 This is an enlarged side cross-sectional view of the area near the battery compartment 20 when the outer cover 30 is in the closed state. Figure 4 This is an enlarged side cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the battery compartment 20 when the outer cover 30 is in the open position. The battery compartment 20 has a receiving space S for accommodating the battery pack 11. The battery compartment 20 has an opening P1 for opening the receiving space S (see...). Figure 2 The opening P1 can be opened or closed by the outer cover 30, which serves as a cover. The opening P1 is for attaching and removing the battery pack 11. That is, the opening P1 is sized to allow the battery pack 11 to pass through. The opening P1 opens upwards. In other words, the battery pack 11 is accommodated in the battery case 20 or removed from the battery case 20 through the opening P1.

[0037] like Figure 3 As shown, the accommodating space S is surrounded in the front-rear direction in front of the seat 9 by a battery compartment 20 and an outer cover 30. The battery compartment 20 includes an upwardly opening body 21 and a frame-shaped base 22. The base 22 is connected to the body 21 to surround the upper portion of the body 21. The base 22 includes an opening P1 (hereinafter also referred to as the "upper opening P1") closed by the outer cover 30 and a lower opening P2 positioned below the upper opening P1. The body 21 and the base 22 are connected to each other such that the opening of the body 21 and the lower opening P2 of the base 22 are aligned.

[0038] The accommodating space S is divided into multiple spaces by the inner cover 51 and the housing 70 disposed within the accommodating space S. For example, the inner cover 51 is configured to close the opening of the main body 21 (i.e., the lower opening P2 of the base 22). The inner cover 51 divides the accommodating space S into a first space S1 surrounded by the main body 21 and the inner cover 51, and the remaining spaces. The first space S1 is occupied by the battery pack 11 housed therein.

[0039] The housing 70 is mounted on the upper surface of the inner cover 51. The housing 70 has an upwardly opening concave shape. The housing 70 includes a bottom wall 71 parallel to the inner cover 51, a first partition wall 72 rising upward from the edge portion on the front side of the bottom wall 71, and a second partition wall 73 rising upward from the edge portion on the rear side of the bottom wall 71. The space surrounded by the inner cover 51, the base 22, and the outer cover 30 in the closed state (i.e., the remaining space mentioned above) is divided into three spaces—a second space S2, a third space S3, and a fourth space S4—by the first partition wall 72 and the second partition wall 73.

[0040] The second space S2, the third space S3, and the fourth space S4 are aligned in the front-to-back direction. The second space S2 is the space sandwiched between the first partition wall 72 and the second partition wall 73 in the front-to-back direction. The second space S2 is the internal space of the housing 70 and serves as a luggage storage space for accommodating luggage. The third space S3 is located in front of the second space S2, and the fourth space S4 is located behind the second space S2. The locking mechanism 40, the engaging member 52, etc., which will be described later, are disposed in the third space S3, and the hinge shaft 32, the retainer 53, etc., which will be described later, are disposed in the fourth space S4. The third space S3 and the fourth space S4 can also be referred to as mechanism element housing spaces, in which various elements of various mechanisms are housed. In particular, the fourth space S4, which houses the hinge shaft 32, can also be referred to as a shaft housing space.

[0041] The housing 70 includes a pair of sidewalls 74. One of the sidewalls 74 connects to the right end portion of the first partition wall 72 and the second partition wall 73, while the other connects to the left end portion of the first partition wall 72 and the second partition wall 73. A flange 75 extending outward in the vehicle width direction is connected to the upper end portion of each of the sidewalls 74. The flange 75 abuts a portion of the back surface of the outer cover 30 in the closed state, and the flange is pressed down from above. This structure prevents the housing 70 from moving up and down within the receiving space S.

[0042] The main body 21 has an upwardly opening box shape. The main body 21 includes a rectangular bottom wall 21a supporting the back surface of the battery pack 11 and an outer peripheral wall 21b rising upwards from the entire outer periphery of the bottom wall 21a. The battery pack 20 is tilted rearward relative to the vertically upward direction. More specifically, the bottom wall 21a tilts forward, and the rear portion of the outer peripheral wall 21b tilts rearward. The rear end portion of the upper opening P1 of the base 22 is positioned behind the rear end portion of the opening edge of the main body 21. In this way, the main body 21 is configured such that the battery pack 11 can be tilted for insertion or removal.

[0043] The housing body 21 has a first space S1 (hereinafter also referred to as the "battery space"). The housing body 21 includes a flange 21c surrounding an opening located at the upper end of an outer peripheral wall 21b. The flange 21c is secured to the base 22 by fastening devices such as bolts.

[0044] A support-side connector 21d is disposed on the upper surface of the bottom wall 21a. A battery-side connector 11a is disposed on the back surface of the battery pack 11. The support-side connector 21d and the battery-side connector 11a are configured such that when the battery pack 11 is guided downward toward the bottom wall 21a by the outer peripheral wall 21b, the terminals of the support-side connector 21d and the battery-side connector 11a contact each other to achieve an electrical connection.

[0045] In this way, the electrical connection between the support-side connector 21d and the battery-side connector 11a can be achieved simply by guiding the battery pack 11 downward through the outer peripheral wall 21b. In other words, the contact between the terminals of the support-side connector 21d and the battery-side connector 11a can be easily released by moving the battery pack 11 upward within the battery case 20. However, since the pressing mechanism 50, which will be described later, prevents vertical movement of the battery pack 11, the power supply from the battery pack 11 to the electric motor 10 is prevented from being cut off.

[0046] The wiring harness cover 25 is attached from below to the bottom wall 21a of the housing body 21. The wiring harness cover 25 is concave and is attached to the housing body 21 by fastening devices (such as bolts), thereby forming a wiring harness space that partially covers the wiring harness 26 extending from the support-side connector 21d through the bottom wall 21a. Components other than the wiring harness, such as a step-down circuit board that reduces the voltage of the power output from the battery pack 11, can be disposed in the wiring harness space. The wiring harness cover 25 is separate from the housing body 21, but the wiring harness cover 25 and the housing body 21 can be integrally formed.

[0047] The frame-shaped base 22 includes an upper base frame 23 constituting the upper part of the base 22 and a lower base frame 24 constituting the lower part of the base 22. The lower end portion of the upper base frame 23 and the upper end portion of the lower base frame 24 are connected to each other. Figure 2 As shown, the upper base frame 23 includes an upper opening P1 closed by the outer cover 30, while the lower base frame 24 includes a lower opening P2 positioned below the upper opening P1. The lower opening P2 is closed by the inner cover 51. The thickness dimension of the outer cover 30 (corresponding to the cover body) is smaller than the thickness dimension of the inner cover 51 (corresponding to the adjacent member). That is, the outer cover 30 is thinner than the inner cover 51. Therefore, the inner cover 51 can easily receive pressing reaction forces, and the weight of the outer cover 30 can be reduced.

[0048] The upper base frame 23 has a ring shape, which has an approximately elliptical external shape in the top view of the motorcycle 1 (see also...). Figure 2The upper base frame 23 and its outer cover 30, which closes the upper opening P1, form a downwardly opening dome shape. The lower base frame 24 has an annular shape, which has a generally elliptical outer shape in the top view of the motorcycle 1. The lower base frame 24 and its inner cover 51, which closes the lower opening P2, form an upwardly opening concave shape.

[0049] The base 22 includes a protruding portion 23a that projects forward and upward from the front seat portion 9a. The protruding portion 23a is located near the center of the upper base frame 23 in the left-right direction and behind the upper opening P1. The protruding portion 23a has a shape in which its central portion protrudes rearward in the vehicle width direction. The protruding portion 23a serves as a limiting portion for the frontal position of the rider's seating area. The protruding portion 23a supports the rider so that when the rider experiences forward inertial force as the motorcycle 1 decelerates, the rider does not deviate from the seating area of ​​the seat 9.

[0050] Opening and closing mechanism

[0051] Figure 5 This is an enlarged side cross-sectional view near the upper portion of the battery box 20; the motorcycle 1 includes an opening and closing mechanism 31 for opening and closing the outer cover 30. The opening and closing mechanism 31 causes the outer cover 30 to pivot about a hinge axis 32 between an open position where the receiving space S is open upwards and a closed position where the receiving space S is covered from above. Figure 5 As shown, the opening and closing mechanism 31 includes a hinge shaft 32, a hinge support 33, and an arm 34.

[0052] The hinge axis 32 serves as the pivot center for the outer cover 30. The hinge axis 32 extends in the left-right direction. The hinge axis 32 is positioned above and in front of the seat front end portion 9a. The hinge axis 32 is positioned in the left-right direction at the center of the central plane of the motorcycle 1, so as to pass through that central plane. The hinge axis 32 is located at a position spaced apart from at least one of the lower or rear sides of the central portion of the outer cover 30 in the left-right direction when it is in the closed position (i.e., in a closed state). In this embodiment, as... Figure 3 As shown, the rear end portion 30a of the central portion in the left-right direction of the outer cover 30 in the closed state is the lower end of the central portion in the left-right direction of the outer cover 30, and the hinge shaft 32 is provided at a position spaced downward from the rear end portion 30a. The hinge shaft 32 is provided at the same position as the rear end portion 30a in the front-back direction.

[0053] The hinge support 33 is fixed to the base 22. The hinge support 33 connects the base 22 and the hinge shaft 32 to each other and supports the hinge shaft 32. The hinge shaft 32 and the hinge support 33 are positioned above the vehicle frame 4 and below the center portion of the outer cover 30 in the left-right direction when closed. That is, the hinge shaft 32 and the hinge support 33 can be positioned closer to the vehicle frame 4 than the outer cover 30, and the rigidity of the hinge support can be easily increased.

[0054] Arm 34 connects the outer cover 30 and the hinge shaft 32 and pivots together with the outer cover 30 about the hinge shaft 32. Arm 34 is positioned in the left-right direction on the center plane of the motorcycle 1, that is, at the center in the vehicle width direction. As described above, the protruding portion 23a has a shape in which its central portion in the vehicle width direction protrudes rearward. Therefore, when arm 34 is positioned at the center in the vehicle width direction, hinge shaft 32 can be arranged closer to the frame 4, and the stiffness of the hinge support can be easily increased.

[0055] When the outer cover 30 is in the closed position, the base portion 34a, which serves as the rear end portion of the arm 34, is connected to the hinge shaft 32. When the outer cover 30 is in the closed position, the distal portion 34b, which serves as the front end portion of the arm 34, is connected to the back surface of the closed outer cover 30. The outer cover 30 bypasses the pressing mechanism 50, which will be described later, and is connected to the battery compartment 20. Because the outer cover 30 is angularly displaced about the hinge shaft 32, which serves as the rear end portion of the arm 34, the outer cover 30 can be positioned upwardly spaced from the base 22 in the open state. The arm 34 has a shape that does not interfere with the base 22 when the outer cover 30 moves between the open and closed positions. When viewed in the left-right direction, the arm 34 has a curved shape, wherein when the outer cover 30 is in the open position, the front end portion of the arm 34 is positioned in front of the front end portion of the protrusion 23a of the base 22 (see...). Figure 4 ).

[0056] The shape of the base 22 and the arm 34, which do not interfere with the base 22, will be described in more detail. The protruding portion 23a of the base 22 includes a portion (hereinafter also referred to as the "exposed portion") 23a1 exposed when viewed from the rear or above when the outer cover 30 is in the closed position, and a portion (hereinafter also referred to as the "non-exposed portion") 23a2 extending forward from the front end of the exposed portion 23a1 and covered from above by the outer cover 30 in the closed position. The exposed portion 23a1 is the portion of the gap between the front end portion 9a of the closed seat and the rear end portion 30a of the outer cover 30 in the closed position, and this exposed portion serves as a limiting portion of the front position that restricts the rider's seating range. The exposed portion 23a1 (specifically, the forward-facing surface of the exposed portion 23a1) and the hinge axis 32 face each other in the front-rear direction. That is, the exposed portion 23a1 overlaps with the hinge axis 32 in the front-rear direction so as to cover the entire hinge axis 32 when viewed from the rear.

[0057] like Figure 5 As shown, seal 27 is attached to outer cover 30. Seal 27 has a circular shape extending along the outer peripheral edge of outer cover 30. When outer cover 30 is in the closed position, the rear end portion of seal 27 is in close contact with base 22, thereby preventing fluid from passing between outer cover 30 and base 22. When outer cover 30 is in the closed position, seal 27 is in close contact with the upper surface of non-exposed portion 23a2. Therefore, non-exposed portion 23a2 can also be referred to as sealing support portion. The portion of non-exposed portion 23a2 in close contact with seal 27 is formed in a concave shape. Specifically, when outer cover 30 is in the closed position, the portion of non-exposed portion 23a2 in close contact with seal 27 protrudes downward compared to a portion of the rear portion adjacent to that portion of non-exposed portion 23a2.

[0058] In this embodiment, when the outer cover 30 is in the closed position, the arm 34 is formed into a downwardly projecting U-shape. Specifically, the arm 34 extends downward as it advances forward from the base portion 34a and reaches the lower end portion located at the middle position in the front-rear direction. The arm 34 extends upward as it further advances forward from the lower end portion and reaches the distal end portion 34b, which serves as the front end portion. By forming the arm 34 into a U-shape in this way, interference between the protruding portion 23a (more specifically, the non-exposed portion 23a2) and the arm 34 can be prevented, and the pivoting range of the outer cover 30 can be expanded.

[0059] With the outer cover 30 closed, the distal portion 34b of the arm 34 (the portion connected to the outer cover 30) is positioned above the base portion 34a of the arm 34 (the portion connected to the hinge axis 32). Since the hinge axis 32 is positioned below the lower portion of the outer cover 30, the outer cover 30 can move away from the upper opening P1 when it is fully open, and interference between the outer cover 30 and the battery pack 11 is unlikely when the battery pack 11 is being accommodated or removed.

[0060] A notch 73a for inserting arm 34 is formed in the second partition wall 73 of housing 70, so that housing 70 does not interfere with arm 34.

[0061] The opening and closing mechanism 31 has a stop structure that limits the pivoting range of the outer cover 30. Specifically, the base portion 34a of the arm 34 has a protrusion 35 that projects radially around the hinge axis 32. When the arm 34 pivots with the outer cover 30 and the outer cover 30 rotates from the closed position to the open position by a predetermined angle, the protrusion 35 abuts against the receiving portion 36 fixed to the base 22. The protrusion 35 and the receiving portion (stop) 36 constitute the stop structure. Therefore, the pivoting range of the outer cover 30 is limited. The position of the protrusion 35 is adjusted such that when the outer cover 30 is moved to the open position, the pivoting range of the outer cover 30 is limited to a range in which the arm 34 does not contact the base 22 and the rear end portion of the outer cover 30 does not contact the protrusion 23a. By providing a stop structure that limits the pivoting range of the outer cover 30 around the hinge axis 32, the fourth space S4, which is the space covered by the protrusion 23a, can be effectively utilized.

[0062] The motorcycle 1 also includes a locking mechanism 40. The locking mechanism 40 is a mechanism that holds the outer cover 30 in a closed position. The locking mechanism 40 includes an insertion port 41, a locking movable portion 42, and a locking fixed portion 43. The insertion port 41 is located on the front portion of the base 22, and more specifically, on the front portion of the upper base frame 23. When the rider's key is inserted into the insertion port 41 and operated, the locking movable portion 42 can move between a locked position and an unlocked position. The locking fixed portion 43 is locked to the locking movable portion 42 in the locked position, preventing the outer cover 30 from moving from the closed position to the open position. The locking movable portion 42 is attached to the upper base frame 23, and the locking fixed portion 43 is fixed to the outer cover 30. Therefore, the locking mechanism 40 can switch between a locked state where the outer cover 30 is held in the closed position and an unlocked state where the outer cover 30 is held in the closed position.

[0063] In this embodiment, the base 22, outer cover 30, opening and closing mechanism 31, and locking mechanism 40 are combined into a cover unit. The battery housing unit is unitized by securing the cover unit to the housing body 21, i.e., by fastening the base 22 to the flange 21c of the housing body 21. Because the components related to the attachment and removal of the battery pack 11 are combined in this way, it is easy to design and assemble the motorcycle 1, thereby facilitating the attachment and removal of the battery pack 11. For example, the design of positioning the upper opening P1 in the direction of pulling the battery pack 11 out of the housing body 21 (e.g., without needing to change the direction of pulling the battery pack 11 halfway out to avoid components of the cover unit (e.g., arm 34)) is convenient (see...). Figure 4 (Double-dotted lines in the text). For example, the positions of the lower opening P2 and the upper opening P1 of the base 22 relative to the opening edge of the box body 21 can be easily adjusted.

[0064] Pressing mechanism

[0065] The motorcycle 1 includes a pressing mechanism 50. The pressing mechanism 50 is disposed in a receiving space S. The pressing mechanism 50 includes an inner cover 51, a connecting member 52, and a retainer 53.

[0066] The inner cover 51 is an abutment member that abuts the battery pack 11 housed in the receiving space S of the battery case 20. In this embodiment, when the battery pack 11 is housed in the battery case 20, the upper portion of the battery pack 11 protrudes slightly upward from the opening of the case body 21. Therefore, the inner cover 51 has a downwardly opening concave shape to cover the portion of the battery pack 11 protruding from the case body 21 and to close the battery space S1. The downwardly facing concave surface of the inner cover 51 abuts the upper surface of the housed battery pack 11. Hereinafter, the position of the inner cover 51 when it abuts the battery pack 11 is referred to as the abutment position or the closed position.

[0067] In this embodiment, the battery box 20 supports two battery packs 11 aligned in the left-right direction from below, such that the upper surfaces of the battery packs 11 are at the same height, and the upper surfaces of the two battery packs 11 abut against an inner cover 51.

[0068] The inner cover 51 can be removed from the battery box 20. Figure 6 This is a top view of the inner cover 51. The inner cover 51 includes a cover body 51a, a mating portion 51b, and a support portion 51c. When the inner cover 151 is in the abutment position, the cover body 151a closes the lower opening P2. The mating portion 51b is fixed to the front end portion of the cover body 51a. The mating portion 51b can engage with a mating member 52 fixed to the battery box 20. The mating portion 51b has a rod-like shape extending in the left-right direction. Hereinafter, the mating portion 51b may also be referred to as the mating shaft 51b.

[0069] The engaging member 52 has an engaging structure that can be attached to and detached from the inner cover 51. With the engaged shaft 51b engaged with the engaging member 52, the inner cover 51 is pivotable about the axis C1 of the engaged shaft 51b. Specifically, the engaging member 52 is positioned in front of the lower opening P2 in the base 22 (more specifically, the lower base frame 24). The engaging member 52 is located in the third space S3. The engaging member 52 is fixed to the base 22 and has a hook shape. Hereinafter, the engaging member 52 may also be referred to as the engaging hook 52. When the engaged shaft 51b of the inner cover 51 is hooked onto the engaging hook 52, the inner cover 51 is pivotable about the axis C1 of the engaged shaft 51b. When the inner cover 51 pivots, it abuts the battery pack 11 and closes the battery space S1, or moves away from the battery pack 11 to open the battery space S1.

[0070] The support portion 51c is fixed to the rear end portion of the cover body 51a. The support portion 51c supports the compression spring 61, etc., which are components of the retainer 53 and will be described later.

[0071] like Figure 5 As shown, when the inner cover 51 is in the adjacent position, the retainer 53 is positioned behind the lower opening P2 in the base 22 (more specifically, the lower base frame 24). In other words, the retainer 53 is positioned on the downwardly inclined side of the upper surface of the battery pack 11. The retainer 53 is positioned on the same side as the hinge axis 32 relative to the battery pack 11. That is, with the housing 70 positioned in the receiving space S, similar to the hinge axis 32 of the opening and closing mechanism 31, the retainer 53 is received in the fourth space S4. Therefore, the hinge axis 32 and the retainer 53 of the pressing mechanism 50 are positioned in a location hidden by the second partition wall 73, i.e., in a location that is difficult for the user to visually identify only by opening the outer cover 30.

[0072] The retainer 53 keeps the inner cover 51 abutting against the battery pack 11 while pressing the inner cover 51 against the battery pack 11. That is, when the inner cover 51 is in the abutting position, the retainer 53 has a pressing function to press the inner cover 51 downward. The retainer 53 also has a locking function to lock the inner cover 51 to the battery compartment 20 when the inner cover 51 is in the abutting position.

[0073] The retainer 53 includes a compression spring 61, a first spring seat 62, a second spring seat 63, an operating member 64, and a locked portion 68. In the components of the retainer 53, the compression spring 61, the first spring seat 62, the second spring seat 63, and the operating member 64 are supported by a support portion 51c of the inner cover 51 and are movable integrally with the inner cover 51. The compression spring 61 is a helical spring. The first spring seat 62 and the second spring seat 63 are annular. The operating member 64 is a user-operated component.

[0074] In the retainer components, the locked portion 68 of the retainer 53 is disposed in the battery compartment 20. Specifically, the locked portion 68 is disposed on the lower base frame 24, located on the rear side of the lower opening P2 of the lower base frame 24. In the top view of the motorcycle 1, the locked portion 68 is positioned at a position overlapping with the upper opening P1 (see...). Figure 2 In other words, in the top view of the motorcycle 1, the retainer 53, including the locked portion 68, is positioned at a location overlapping with the upper opening P1. Therefore, the retainer 53 is positioned in a location where the user can easily access the retainer 53.

[0075] The locked portion 68 is locked by the locking portion 66b of the operating member 64, which will be described later. In this embodiment, the locked portion 68 is a hole extending in a predetermined direction. For example, the locked portion 68 has an elongated hole shape or a keyhole shape. Hereinafter, the locked portion 68 may also be referred to as a locked hole 68. In this embodiment, the locked hole 68 extends in the left-right direction, but may extend in the front-back direction, for example.

[0076] like Figure 5 As shown, the first spring seat 62 supports the first end portion 61a of the compression spring 61, and the second spring seat 63 supports the second end portion 61b of the compression spring 61. Figure 5 As shown, when the inner cover 51 is in the adjacent position, the first end portion 61a is the lower end portion of the compression spring 61, and the second end portion 61b is the upper end portion of the compression spring 61. That is, when the inner cover 51 is in the adjacent position, the first spring seat 62 is positioned on the lower side of the compression spring 61, and the second spring seat 63 is positioned on the upper side of the compression spring 61.

[0077] The first spring seat 62 is fixed to the inner cover 51. Specifically, the support portion 51c of the inner cover 51 includes an upwardly opening bottom cylindrical portion 101, and the first spring seat 62 is disposed on the bottom 102 of the cylindrical portion 101. The compression spring 61 is received in the cylindrical portion 101 of the support portion 51c, such that the first spring seat 62 supports the first end portion 61a of the compression spring 61. That is, the inner cover 51 includes a receiving portion (in this embodiment, the cylindrical portion 101) for receiving the compression spring 61. The first spring seat 62 may be constructed as a part of the inner cover 51. The bottom 102 of the cylindrical portion 101 of the support portion 51c where the first spring seat 62 is disposed is formed with a through hole 103 through which the cam support 66, described later, is inserted.

[0078] The second spring seat 63 is connected to the inner cover 51 so that it can move relative to the inner cover 51. In this embodiment, the second spring seat 63 is connected to the inner cover 51 via an operating member 64.

[0079] The operating member 64 includes a cam lever 65 and a cam support 66. The cam lever 65 is positioned on the side opposite to the compression spring 61, relative to the second spring seat 63. The second spring seat 63 is sandwiched between the cam lever 65 and the compression spring 61. The cam lever 65 is supported by the cam support 66 via a support shaft 67 extending in the left-right direction, so that it can pivot about the axis C2 of the support shaft 67.

[0080] The cam lever 65 includes a lever portion 65a and a pressing portion 65b. The lever portion is the part touched by the user's hand, and the pressing portion shifts when the lever portion 65a is operated. The cam lever 65 has a shape extending radially from the support shaft 67 for easy user operation, and the extended portion is the lever portion 65a. The lever portion 65a corresponds to the actuator. The pressing portion 65b is a curved surface portion, and when viewed in the direction of the axis C2 of the support shaft 67, the change in distance of the curved surface portion from the support shaft 67 corresponds to the pivot angle of the cam lever 65.

[0081] The pressing portion 65b presses the second spring seat 63 against the compression spring 61. By pivoting the cam lever 65 about axis C2, the pressing portion 65b can shift between a pressing position and a pressing-release position. In the pressing position, the pressing portion 65b presses the inner cover 51 against the battery pack 11; in the pressing-release position, the pressing force at the pressing position is released. The state of the retainer 53 with the pressing portion 65b in the pressing position is called the pressing state, and the state of the retainer 53 with the pressing portion 65b in the pressing-release position is called the pressing-release state. In this embodiment, the pressing portion 65b in the pressing-release position does not generate the pressing force for pressing the inner cover 51 against the battery pack 11. However, the pressing portion 65b in the pressing-release position can generate a smaller pressing force than the pressing force generated when the pressing portion 65b is in the pressing position.

[0082] Cam support 66 is connected to inner cover 51 and supports cam lever 65 via support shaft 67. Cam support 66 includes a rod-shaped portion 66a extending along axis C3 of cylindrical portion 101. Support shaft 67 is supported at one end portion of rod-shaped portion 66a. Rod-shaped portion 66a is inserted radially inside second spring seat 63, compression spring 61, and first spring seat 62. Rod-shaped portion 66a is also inserted into through hole 103 in bottom 102 of cylindrical portion 101 of support portion 51c.

[0083] The cam support 66 includes a locking portion 66b, which is a protrusion extending from the other end of the rod-shaped portion 66a in a direction perpendicular to the C3 axis. The locking portion 66b is positioned to protrude from the rod-shaped portion 66a through the through-hole 103 to the side opposite to the compression spring 61. That is, the locking portion 66b is positioned below the bottom 102 of the cylindrical portion 101.

[0084] When the locking portion 66b rotates around axis C3 and is in a predetermined unlocked position, it can be inserted into the locked hole 68. In this embodiment, the unlocked position is the position where the extending direction of the locked hole 68 aligns with the protruding direction of the locking portion 66b. In this embodiment, since the locked hole 68 extends in the left-right direction, it can be inserted into the locked hole 68 when its protruding direction aligns with the left-right direction. When the locking portion 66b rotates around axis C3 and is in a locked position other than the unlocked position, it cannot be inserted into the locked hole 68. That is, after the locking portion 66b is inserted into the locked hole 68 by operating the operating member 64, the locking portion 66b rotates around axis C3, preventing it from being inserted into the locked hole 68, thereby locking the inner cover 51 and preventing it from separating from the locked hole 68.

[0085] A guide portion 66c is disposed in the portion of the rod-shaped portion 66a that protrudes downward from the through hole 103. The guide portion 66c has a flange shape and, when locking or unlocking is performed by the locking portion 66b, the guide portion 66c abuts the outer periphery of the locked hole 68 to guide the rotation of the operating member 64 about axis C3. For example, the dimensions between the guide portion 66c and the locking portion 66b substantially match the dimensions of the locked hole 68 in the penetration direction.

[0086] The guide portion 66c has a size or shape that cannot be inserted into the through hole 103 or the locking hole 68. Therefore, when the operation of lifting the operating member 64 is performed, the inner cover 51 supported by the guide portion 66c is also lifted. The operating member 64 is connected to the inner cover 51 so that it can be displaced. For example, the operating member 64 is connected to the support portion 51c of the inner cover 51 so that it can rotate about the axis C3 of the cam support 66. The operating member 64 is connected to the support portion 51c of the inner cover 51 so that it can be displaced relative to the inner cover 51 in the direction of the axis C3 of the cam support 66.

[0087] In the pressing mechanism 50, by operating the cam lever 65, the inner cover 51 can be locked to the battery compartment 20 and pressed downwards. With the inner cover 51 in the abutment position, more specifically, with the locking portion 66b inserted into the locked hole 68, the cam lever 65 is operated to rotate the locking portion 66b about axis C3. When the locking portion 66b moves from the unlocked position to the locked position, the locking portion 66b cannot be inserted into the locked hole 68, and the locked hole 68 is locked by the locking portion 66b. Therefore, the position of the support shaft 67 is fixed.

[0088] Subsequently, by pivoting the cam lever 65 about the axis C2 of the support shaft 67, the pressing portion 65b is displaced from the pressing-release position to the pressing position relative to the axis C2. Therefore, the second spring seat 63 approaches the first spring seat 62. Consequently, the compression spring 61 is compressed, and the biasing force of the compression spring 61 is generated or increased in the inner cover 51 in the direction away from the support shaft 67 of the cam support 66 (i.e., downward). As described above, the retainer 53 is configured to hold the second spring seat 63 in the displaced state relative to the first spring seat 62, such that the inner cover 51 is biased towards the battery pack 11 by the compression spring 61.

[0089] In this embodiment, the inner cover 51 or the battery pack 11 does not completely close the lower opening P2 when not pressed by the pressing mechanism 50. That is, when the inner cover 51 is not pressed by the pressing mechanism 50, a small gap is formed between the base 22 and a portion of the outer peripheral edge of the cover body 51a. When the inner cover 51 is pressed by the pressing mechanism 50, this gap disappears. When the inner cover 51 is not pressed by the pressing mechanism 50, the inner cover 51 may not abut against the battery pack 11, while when the inner cover 51 is pressed by the pressing mechanism 50, the inner cover may abut against the battery pack 11.

[0090] Procedure for removing the battery pack

[0091] The procedure for removing the battery pack 11 from the motorcycle 1 (more specifically, the battery box 20) will be described. First, the locking mechanism 40 is released from the outer cover 30 by key operation, and then, as... Figure 4 As shown, the outer cover 30 is pivoted from the closed position to the open position.

[0092] Next, the housing 70 is removed from the receiving space S and moved to the outside through the upper opening P1.

[0093] Next, as Figure 7 As shown, the cam lever 65 is pivoted about axis C2 to reduce the pressing force of the compression spring 61. Then, the cam lever 65 is pivoted about axis C3, and the locking portion 66b is aligned with the direction in which it can be inserted into the locking hole 68. Thereafter, as... Figure 8 As shown, by lifting the cam lever 65 upward, the inner cover 51 is pivoted about the axis C1 of the engaged shaft 51b. Next, after moving the inner cover 51 so that the engaged shaft 51b disengages from the engaging hook 52, the inner cover 51 is removed from the receiving space S through the upper opening P1. Then, the battery pack 11 in the housing body 21 is pulled upward and removed from the receiving space S to the outside through the upper opening P1.

[0094] In this way, the battery pack 11 is removed from the motorcycle 1. The placement of the battery pack 11 in the motorcycle 1 can be performed by the reverse procedure of removing the battery pack 11.

[0095] Operation and Effect

[0096] As described above, in the motorcycle 1 according to this embodiment, the inner cover 51 adjacent to and abutting the battery pack 11 is kept in a state where it is pressed against the battery pack 11. This prevents the battery pack 11 from moving within the battery case 20. Furthermore, since the outer cover 30 bypasses the pressing mechanism 50 and is connected to the battery case 20, the outer cover 30 does not receive the pressing reaction force from the battery pack 11, and the degree of design freedom can be increased. For example, without considering the pressing reaction force used to fix the battery pack 11, the outer cover 30 can be dedicated to a structure that prevents rainwater, etc., from entering the battery case 20. Therefore, a simple cover structure can be achieved, and movement of the battery pack 11 can be prevented.

[0097] In this embodiment, since the pressing mechanism 50 is disposed in the receiving space S, the pressing mechanism 50 is protected by the battery box 20, and foreign objects (e.g., sand, pebbles, rainwater, etc.) can be prevented from adhering to the pressing mechanism 50 and damage to the pressing mechanism 50 can be prevented.

[0098] In this embodiment, since the inner cover 51 can be removed from the battery box 20, interference with the inner cover 51 can be prevented when attaching the battery pack 11 to the battery box 20 or removing the battery pack from the battery box, and attachment and removal are convenient.

[0099] In this embodiment, the second partition wall 73 can prevent the object contained in the housing 70 from contacting the retainer 53.

[0100] In this embodiment, a single pressing mechanism 50 can lock the inner cover 51 adjacent to and abutting the battery pack 11 to the battery box 20 and press the battery pack 11 downward.

[0101] In this embodiment, both the operation of locking the inner cover 51 to the battery compartment 20 and the operation of pressing the battery pack 11 downwards can be performed by the operating member 64. In this embodiment, since the displacement of the locking portion 66b and the pressing portion 65a can be achieved by operating the cam lever 65, operability can be improved compared to the case where multiple different operators are used to perform the locking and pressing operations. According to the above configuration, the user can generate a biasing force for pressing the inner cover 51 downwards by intuitively and easily understood operation of tilting or raising the cam lever 65.

[0102] In this embodiment, the engaging member 52 engages with the inner cover 51 on the side opposite to the pressing mechanism 50, and the battery pack 11 is located between the engaging member and the pressing mechanism. Therefore, compared to the case where the pressing mechanism 50 is provided on both sides of the battery pack 11, the number of pressing mechanisms 50 can be reduced.

[0103] Second Embodiment

[0104] Next, we will refer to Figures 9 to 11 A motorcycle according to a second embodiment is described. In the second embodiment, components identical to those in the first embodiment are indicated by the same reference numerals and their description is omitted. Figure 9 This is an enlarged perspective view of the retainer 83 of the pressing mechanism 80 in the second embodiment, which is in a pressed state. Figure 10 This is a side cross-sectional view of retainer 83. Figure 11 This diagram shows the inner cover 51 of the pressing mechanism 80 slightly open.

[0105] The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment lies in the structure of the retainer in the pressing mechanism. More specifically, in the pressing mechanism 50 of the first embodiment, the retainer 53 is a cam lever type, while in the pressing mechanism 80 of this embodiment, the retainer 83 is a cylindrical cam type. Similar to the retainer 53 of the first embodiment, when the inner cover 51 is in the closed position, the retainer 83 is located behind the lower opening P2 in the base 22 (more specifically, the lower base frame 24). Similar to the retainer 53, the retainer 83 has a pressing function for pressing the inner cover 51 and a locking function for locking the inner cover 51 to the battery compartment 20.

[0106] The retainer 83 includes a compression spring 61, a first spring seat 62, a second spring seat 63, an operating member 84, and a locked portion 88. The compression spring 61, the first spring seat 62, the second spring seat 63, and the support portion 51c of the inner cover 51 are constructed in the same way as in the above embodiment, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0107] The operating member 84 is connected to the inner cover 51 so as to enable displacement. For example, the operating member 84 is connected to the support portion 51c of the inner cover 51 so as to enable rotation about axis C3. The operating member 84 is connected to the support portion 51c of the inner cover 51 so as to enable displacement relative to the inner cover 51 in the direction of axis C3.

[0108] The operating component 84 includes a user-operated rotary handle 85 and a rotation shaft 86. The rotary handle 85 corresponds to an operator. The rotary handle 85 is positioned relative to the second spring seat 63 on the side opposite to the compression spring 61. The rotary handle 85 is a handle for rotating about the axis C3 of the cylindrical portion 101. In this embodiment, the rotary handle 85 has a point-symmetric shape about the axis C3.

[0109] The rotating handle 85 is fixed to one end portion of the rotating shaft 86. The rotating shaft 86 is inserted radially inside the second spring seat 63, the compression spring 61, and the first spring seat 62. The rotating shaft 86 is also inserted into the through hole 103 in the bottom 102 of the cylindrical portion 101 of the support portion 51c.

[0110] The rotating shaft 86 includes a pressing portion 86a and a locking portion 86b. The pressing portion 86a is positioned relative to the second spring seat 63 on the side opposite to the compression spring 61. The pressing portion 86a presses the second spring seat 63 against the compression spring 61. The second spring seat 63 is clamped between the pressing portion 86a and the compression spring 61.

[0111] The locking portion 86b is a pin-shaped protrusion projecting in a direction perpendicular to axis C3. Hereinafter, the locking portion 86b may be referred to as the locking pin 86b. The locking pin 86b is positioned on the side opposite the compression spring 61 to the through hole 103.

[0112] The locking pin 86b is of a size or shape that cannot be inserted into the through hole 103. Therefore, when the operation of lifting the operating member 84 is performed, the inner cover 51 supported by the locking pin 86b is also lifted.

[0113] The locked portion 88 includes a hollow cylindrical cam 89 fixed to the battery compartment 20. The cylindrical cam 89 is sized to engage with the locking pin 86b. That is, the inner diameter of the cylindrical cam 89 is shorter than the length of the end portion extending radially outward from axis C3 to the locking pin 86b.

[0114] The cylindrical cam 89 has an engagement hole 89a capable of engaging with a locking pin 86b. The upper end of the engagement hole 89a is located at the upper edge of the cylindrical cam 89, and the locking pin 86b can be moved vertically into and out of the engagement hole 89a relative to the upper end of the engagement hole 89a. The engagement hole 89a has a helical shape that guides the locking pin 86b downward when the operating member 84 rotates about an axis C3 extending in the biasing direction of the compression spring 61. The lower end portion of the engagement hole 89a has a shape that retains the locking pin 86b. For example, the lower end portion of the engagement hole 89a may have a shape that extends along a surface perpendicular to the central axis of the cylindrical cam 89.

[0115] In the pressing mechanism 80, when the inner cover 51 is in the abutment position, rotating the rotary handle 85 about axis C3 simultaneously locks the inner cover 51 relative to the battery compartment 20 and holds the inner cover 51 in a downward-pressed state. When the inner cover 51 is in the abutment position, more specifically, when the rotary handle 85 is rotated while being pressed downwards, the locking pin 86b is inserted into the engagement hole 89a and spirally guided downwards to reach the lower end portion of the engagement hole 89a. In this way, the biasing force of the compression spring 61 is generated or increased in the direction in which the inner cover 51 is pressed downwards. Since the locking pin 86b is held at the lower end portion of the engagement hole 89a, the inner cover 51 can be locked to the battery compartment 20 in the downward-pressed state.

[0116] The procedure for removing the battery pack 11 from the motorcycle 1 (more specifically, the battery box 20) including the pressing mechanism 80 will be described. Pivoting the outer cover 30 from the closed position to the open position and removing the housing 70 from the receiving space S to the outside through the upper opening P1 is the same as the procedure for removing the battery pack 11 described in the above embodiment.

[0117] After moving the outer cover 30 to the open position and removing the housing 70, the area will be... Figure 9 The rotating handle 85 of the retainer 83, in the pressed state, rotates about axis C3, thereby causing the locking pin 86b to move spirally upward from the lower end portion (i.e., the locked position) of the engagement hole 89a. As the pressing portion 86a also gradually rises along with the locking pin 86b, the biasing force of the compression spring 61 gradually decreases. After rotating the rotating handle 85 to a position that allows the locking pin 86b to be pulled out of the engagement hole 89a (i.e., the unlocked position), the rotating handle 85 is lifted upward. Therefore, as shown... Figure 11 As shown, the locking pin 86b disengages from the upper end of the cylindrical cam 89 from the engagement hole 89a, and the inner cover 51 pivots about the axis C1 of the engaged shaft 51b. Since the subsequent procedures are the same as those described in the first embodiment, their description will be omitted.

[0118] Third Embodiment

[0119] Next, we will refer to Figures 12 to 15 A motorcycle according to a third embodiment is described. In the third embodiment, components identical to those in the first and second embodiments are indicated by the same reference numerals and their descriptions are omitted. Figure 12 This is an enlarged side cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the battery box 120 of the motorcycle according to the third embodiment.

[0120] The pressing mechanism 150 in this embodiment includes an inner cover 151, a connecting member 152, and a retainer 183. Basically, the functions of the inner cover 151, connecting member 152, and retainer 183 in the pressing mechanism 150 are the same as those of the inner cover 51, connecting member 52, and retainers 53 and 83 in the pressing mechanisms 50 and 80 of the first and second embodiments, respectively. However, the positions and structures of the inner cover 151, connecting member 152, and retainer 183 in the pressing mechanism 150 are slightly different from those of the inner cover 51, connecting member 52, and retainers 53 and 83 in the pressing mechanisms 50 and 80 of the first and second embodiments.

[0121] For example, in the pressing mechanism 150 according to this embodiment, the positions of the engaging member 152 and the retainer 183 are opposite to the positions of the engaging member 52 and the retainers 53 and 83 in the pressing mechanism 80 of the first and second embodiments. Figure 12 As shown, the engaging member 152 is positioned behind the lower opening P2 in the base 22 (more specifically, the lower base frame 24). When the inner cover 151 is in the abutment position, the retainer 183 is positioned in front of the lower opening P2 in the base 22 (more specifically, the lower base frame 24).

[0122] Figure 13 This is a top view of the inner cover 151 in the third embodiment. Figure 14 This is a perspective view showing the construction of the pressing mechanism 150 according to the third embodiment. Figure 14 In the middle, the left half of the inner cover 151 is omitted, making it easy to see the structure of the retainer 183.

[0123] In this embodiment, the inner cover 151 is also removable from the battery compartment 120. For example... Figure 13 As shown, the inner cover 151 includes a cover body 151a, a joined portion 151b, and a support portion 151c. When the inner cover 151 is in the adjacent position to the battery pack 11, the cover body 151a closes the lower opening P2.

[0124] In this embodiment, a partition wall 172 and a pair of side walls 174 are disposed on the upper surface of the cover body 151a. The partition wall 172 rises upward from near the end edge portion on the rear side of the cover body 151a. The pair of side walls 174 extend forward from the left and right ends of the partition wall 172. The space sandwiched between the pair of side walls 174 in the direction of action serves as a luggage accommodating space for accommodating luggage. The partition wall 172 prevents luggage placed on the upper surface of the cover body 151a from moving to the rear of the cover body 151a, i.e., the space where the engaging member 152 is provided (see...). Figure 12 As described above, in this embodiment, since the inner cover 151 itself serves as a housing for placing the contained object, it is not necessary to separately install the housing 70 onto the inner cover 151 as in the first and second embodiments.

[0125] The joined portion 151b is fixed to the rear end portion of the cover body 151a. The joined portion 151b can engage with the engaging member 152 fixed to the battery box 20. The joined portion 151b has a rod-like shape extending in the left-right direction. Hereinafter, the joined portion 151b may also be referred to as the joined shaft 151b.

[0126] like Figure 14 As shown, the engaging member 152 has an engaging structure that can be attached to and detached from the inner cover 151. With the engaging shaft 151b engaged with the engaging member 152, the inner cover 151 is pivotable about the axis C1 of the engaging shaft 151b. The engaging member 152 has a hook-shaped form similar to that of the engaging member 52. The hook-shaped form of the engaging member 152 is a hook-shaped form that opens towards the lower opening P2, but it could also be a hook-shaped form that opens towards the side opposite to where the lower opening P2 is located.

[0127] like Figure 14 As shown, the support portion 151c is fixed to the side opposite to the engaged portion 151b of the cover body 151a, that is, fixed to the front end portion of the cover body 151a. The support portion 151c supports the compression spring 61 and the like, which are components of the retainer 53, as described later. When the inner cover 151 is in the abutment position, the retainer 183 is positioned in front of the lower opening P2 in the base 22 (more specifically, the lower base frame 24).

[0128] The retainer 183 holds the inner cover 151 abutting against the battery pack 11 while pressing the inner cover 151 against the battery pack 11. In other words, the retainer 183 has a pressing function that presses the inner cover 151 downwards when it is in the abutting position. The retainer 183 also has a locking function that locks the inner cover 151 to the battery compartment 120 when it is in the abutting position.

[0129] The retainer 183 includes a compression spring 61, a first spring seat 62, a second spring seat 63, an operating member 184, and a locked portion 188. Since the construction of the compression spring 61, the first spring seat 62, the second spring seat 63 of the retainer 183, and the support portion 151c of the inner cover 151 that supports the compression spring 61, the first spring seat 62, and the second spring seat 63 are the same as those in the first and second embodiments, their description will be omitted.

[0130] Similar to the retainer 83 of the second embodiment, the retainer 183 of this embodiment is a cylindrical cam type. The operating member 184 includes a rotary handle 185 operated by the user and a rotating shaft 86. The rotary handle 85 of the operating member 84 of the second embodiment has a shape symmetrical about the axis C3, while the operating member 184 of this embodiment has a shape where the rotary handle 185 extends from the axis C3 in only one direction. Since the operating member 184 of the retainer 183 and the operating member 84 of the second embodiment have essentially the same construction except for the shape of the rotary handle 185, the description of the rotating shaft 86, etc., of the operating member 184 is omitted.

[0131] Similar to the second embodiment, the locked portion 188 includes a cylindrical cam 89. Since the locked portion 188 of the retainer 183 has the same construction as the locked portion 88 of the second embodiment, a description of the locked portion 188 is omitted.

[0132] Similarly, in this embodiment, similar to the second embodiment, when the inner cover 151 is in the abutment position, by rotating the rotary handle 185 about axis C3, locking the inner cover 151 relative to the battery compartment 120 and holding the inner cover 151 in a downward-pressed state can be performed simultaneously. When the inner cover 151 is in the abutment position, more specifically, when the rotary handle 185 is rotated while being pressed downwards, the locking pin 86b is inserted into the engagement hole 89a and spirally guided downwards to reach the lower end portion of the engagement hole 89a (i.e., the locked position). At this time, as... Figure 13 As shown, in this embodiment, the rotating handle 185 is in a state extending to the left from the axis C3. Since the locking pin 86b is held at the lower end of the engagement hole 89a, the inner cover 151 can be locked to the battery compartment 120 when pressed down.

[0133] In this embodiment, as Figure 12As shown, the outer cover 30 is provided with a protruding member 90 that protrudes downward from the back surface of the outer cover 30, i.e., from the outer cover 30 in the closed position. In this embodiment, the protruding member 90 is a rod-shaped body attached to the outer cover 30, but the shape of the protruding member is not particularly limited. Although the protruding member 90 interferes with the retainer 183 in the press-release state when the outer cover 30 is closed, the protruding position and its length from the outer cover in the protruding direction can be adjusted so as not to interfere with the retainer 183 in the press-release state. This will refer to Figure 15 Describe it.

[0134] Figure 15 This is an enlarged side cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of the retainer 183 in the pressed state in the third embodiment; Figure 15 The lower end of the protruding member 90 is also shown when the outer cover 30 is in the closed position. In this embodiment, when the outer cover 30 is closed, the protruding member 90 is attached to the outer cover 30 such that the protruding member 90 is positioned on the axis C3 of the rotation axis 86 of the operating member 184. Because there is a small gap G between the retainer 183 in the pressed state and the protruding member 90 protruding from the outer cover 30 in the closed state, the retainer 183 in the pressed state will not interfere with the protruding member 90.

[0135] exist Figure 15 In the diagram, the rotary handle 185 of the retainer 183 in the press-release state is indicated by a double-dotted line. The operating member 184 of the retainer 183 in the press-release state is positioned higher than the operating member 90 in the press state, and the operating member 184 and the protruding member 90 interfere with each other. Therefore, even when the outer cover 30 pivots from the open position while the retainer 183 is in the press-release state, the interference between the operating member 184 and the protruding member 90 prevents the outer cover 30 from closing while the retainer 183 is in the press-release state.

[0136] like Figure 15 As shown, in this embodiment, the protruding member 90 is provided on the outer cover 30 so as to interfere with the rotation axis 86 of the retainer 183 in the press-release state. However, the protruding member 90 may be provided on the outer cover 30 so as to interfere with other elements of the retainer 183 in the press-release state (e.g., the rotating handle 185).

[0137] In this embodiment, the locking mechanism 140 for holding the outer cover 30 in the closed position is also different from the locking mechanism 40 described in the first embodiment. Specifically, similar to the locking mechanism 40 of the first embodiment, the locking mechanism 140 of this embodiment includes an insertion port 141, a locking moving portion 142, and a locking fixing portion 143. However, the insertion port 141 and the locking moving portion 142 are provided on the outer cover 30, rather than on the base 22. The locking fixing portion 43 is provided on the base 22, more specifically, on the upper base frame 23, rather than on the outer cover 30. In this way, by providing the locking moving portion 142 as a movable part on the outer cover 30, the portion of the upper base frame 23 on the front side of the outer cover 30 can be smaller, and therefore, the upper opening P1 can be designed to be larger. Therefore, it is easy to design an upper opening P1 that allows the battery pack 11 and the inner cover 151 to pass through.

[0138] Fourth embodiment

[0139] Next, we will refer to Figure 16 and Figure 17 A motorcycle according to a fourth embodiment is described. In the fourth embodiment, components identical to those in the first to third embodiments are indicated by the same reference numerals and their description is omitted. Figure 16 This is an enlarged side cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the battery box of the motorcycle according to the fourth embodiment. Figure 17 This is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the accommodating space in the fourth embodiment.

[0140] like Figure 16 As shown, in this embodiment, the partition plate 91 protrudes downward from the outer cover 30 in the closed position as a protruding member. When the outer cover 30 is closed, the partition plate 91 interferes with the retainer 183 in the press-release state, but the protruding position and the length from the outer cover 30 in the protruding direction can be adjusted so as not to interfere with the retainer 183 in the press-release state.

[0141] Specifically, such as Figure 17 As shown, when the retainer 183 is in the pressed state, the rotary handle 185 is in a state extending to the left from axis C3 (see also...). Figure 13 In other words, when the retainer 183 is in the pressed state, in the top view of the inner cover 151, the cover body 151a and the rotating handle 185 do not overlap each other.

[0142] On the other hand, the partition plate 91 is provided on the outer cover 30 so as to be positioned directly above the front end portion of the cover body 151a, that is, positioned at the end portion of the cover body 151a on the side where the support portion 151c is positioned when the outer cover 30 is closed. Therefore, when the outer cover 30 is closed in the pressed state of the retainer 183, the partition plate 91 does not interfere with the rotating handle 185.

[0143] exist Figure 16 and Figure 17 In the diagram, the rotating handle 185 of the retainer 183 in the press-release state is indicated by a double-dotted line. When the retainer 183 is in the press-release state, the rotating handle 185 is in a position extending from axis C3 toward the cover body 151a (see also...). Figure 13 (Double-dotted line in the diagram). That is, when the retainer 183 is in the press-release state, in the top view of the inner cover 151, the cover body 151a and the rotating handle 185 overlap each other. Therefore, when the outer cover 30 is closed with the retainer 183 in the press-release state, the partition plate 91 interferes with the rotating handle 185.

[0144] Therefore, even when the outer cover 30 pivots from the open position when the retainer 183 is in the press-release state, the interference between the operating member 184 and the partition plate 91, which is a protruding member, can prevent the outer cover 30 from closing when the retainer 183 is in the press-release state.

[0145] In this embodiment, when the outer cover 30 is closed while the retainer 183 is in the pressed state, the partition 91 divides the accommodating space S into a space where the retainer 183 is disposed and a luggage accommodating space above the cover body 151a. Therefore, the partition 91 prevents the accommodating object placed on the upper surface of the cover body 151a from moving forward of the cover body 151a, i.e., moving into the space where the retainer 183 is disposed.

[0146] Other embodiments

[0147] This disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments, and the configuration can be changed, added, or deleted.

[0148] For example, in the above embodiments, the straddle-type vehicle is an electric vehicle, wherein the propulsion source is an electric motor; however, the straddle-type vehicle may also be a vehicle equipped with an engine as the propulsion source. The battery pack may be a battery pack capable of supplying electrical power to the electric motor that assists the engine drive, rather than being the propulsion source. The straddle-type vehicle may be an electric-assisted bicycle that uses an electric motor to assist human power.

[0149] The configuration and orientation of the battery box are not limited to those described in the above embodiments. In the above embodiments, the battery box has a structure in which the box body and the base are connected to each other; however, the battery box may have a structure in which the box body and the base are integrated. For example, in the above embodiments, the base 22 may only be the upper base frame 23, while the lower base frame 24 may be part of the box body 21. In this case, the engaging member 52 and the locking portion 68 may be fixed to the box body 21, rather than to the base 22.

[0150] In the above embodiments, the base includes a protruding portion, but the base and the protruding portion can be separated from each other.

[0151] Besides compression springs, the pressing mechanism can also be an air spring. Alternatively, when the inner cover is elastic, the pressing mechanism can use fasteners (such as bolts) to press the inner cover. That is, when the inner cover is elastic, the adjacent components themselves can be designed with a pressing function.

[0152] The inner cover may include cushioning material at the location where it adjoins the battery pack. In the above embodiment, the adjoining member is the inner cover, but the adjoining member does not necessarily have to cover the battery pack from above. For example, the adjoining member may abut against the battery pack instead of closing the opening P2. For example, the adjoining member may be a rod-shaped member or a mesh member. The inner cover may not be removable from the battery box.

[0153] The actuator of the pressing mechanism is the part that the user touches when operating the pressing mechanism. The shape, configuration, etc., of the actuator are not limited to those described in the above embodiments and modifications. For example, the actuator can be a lever, handle, knob, button, etc.

[0154] The luggage compartment shell includes partitions, but the luggage compartment and partitions can be separated from each other. A straddle-type vehicle may not include a luggage compartment.

[0155] In the above embodiments, the battery pack 11 housed in the first space S1 and the luggage housed in the second space S2 are described as objects housed in or removed from the housing space S, but the objects are not limited thereto. For example, the battery pack may not be included in the objects. The housing forming the housing space may not be a battery box, and may be, for example, a housing that can only house luggage. For example, the battery pack may not be removable from the vehicle body. A straddle-type vehicle may be a vehicle that can travel without a battery pack. A straddle-type vehicle may be a vehicle that uses a propulsion source other than an electric motor (e.g., an internal combustion engine). For example, the objects may be accessories worn by the rider during riding, such as helmets and gloves. The objects may also be toolboxes, manuals, etc., or may be vehicle parts that are considered to be removable from the vehicle body.

[0156] Public content

[0157] Each of the following aspects is a disclosure of a preferred embodiment.

[0158] <First Aspect>

[0159] A straddle-type vehicle includes: a battery compartment having a housing space for accommodating a battery pack and an opening for attaching and removing the battery pack via the opening of the housing space; a pressing mechanism including an abutment member and a retainer, the abutment member being capable of abutting the battery pack while the battery pack is housed in the housing space of the battery compartment, the retainer holding the abutment member abutting the battery pack while pressing the abutment member against the battery pack; and a cover bypassing the pressing mechanism and connected to the battery compartment, the cover opening and closing the opening of the battery compartment.

[0160] Based on the above aspects, the adjacent member abutting the battery pack remains in a state of being pressed against the battery pack. This prevents the battery pack from moving within the battery compartment. Since the cover bypasses the pressing mechanism and connects to the battery compartment, the cover does not receive the pressing reaction force from the battery pack, and the degree of design freedom can be increased. For example, without considering the pressing reaction force used to fix the battery pack, the cover can be specifically designed to prevent rainwater, etc., from entering the battery compartment. Therefore, a simple cover construction can be achieved, and movement of the battery pack can be prevented.

[0161] <Second aspect>

[0162] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, the pressing mechanism can be disposed inside the receiving space.

[0163] Based on the above aspects, the pressing mechanism is protected by the battery box, which can prevent foreign objects (such as sand, pebbles, rainwater, etc.) from adhering to the pressing mechanism and prevent damage to the pressing mechanism.

[0164] <Third aspect>

[0165] According to the first or second aspect of this disclosure, the adjacent member may be detachable from the battery box.

[0166] Based on the above aspects, interference with adjacent components can be prevented when attaching / removing the battery pack from the battery box, and attachment and removal can be facilitated.

[0167] <Fourth Aspect>

[0168] According to the first to third aspects of this disclosure, the thickness dimension of the cover can be smaller than the thickness dimension of the adjacent member.

[0169] Based on the above aspects, the adjacent members can easily receive the pressing reaction force and the weight of the cover can be reduced.

[0170] <Fifth Aspect>

[0171] According to the first to fourth aspects of this disclosure, the housing space may include a battery space occupied by the housed battery pack and the remaining space, and the straddle-type vehicle may further include a partition wall that divides the remaining space into a retainer space for housing a retainer and another remaining space.

[0172] Based on the above aspects, when the object is housed in the remaining space within the battery compartment, the partition wall can prevent the object from contacting the retainer.

[0173] <Sixth Aspect>

[0174] According to the first to fifth aspects of this disclosure, the pressing mechanism may include: a compression spring; a first spring seat fixed to an adjacent member and configured to support a first end portion of the compression spring; and a second spring seat connected to the adjacent member to be movable relative to the adjacent member and configured to support a second end portion of the compression spring; and the retainer is capable of holding the second spring seat in a state where the second spring seat is displaced relative to the first spring seat, such that the adjacent member is biased toward the battery pack by the compression spring.

[0175] <Seventh Aspect>

[0176] According to the first to sixth aspects of this disclosure, the pressing mechanism may include a locked portion and a locking portion, the locked portion being fixed to the battery compartment, and the locking portion being connected to an adjacent member and capable of locking to the locked portion while the adjacent member is adjacent to the battery pack.

[0177] Based on the above, locking the adjacent member of the battery pack to the battery box and pressing the battery pack downwards can both be achieved by a single mechanism.

[0178] <Eighth Aspect>

[0179] According to a seventh aspect of this disclosure, the pressing mechanism may include an operating member having a locking portion and being operated to lock the locking portion to a locked portion. The first spring seat and the second spring seat may each have an annular shape. The operating member may further include: a pressing portion configured to press the second spring seat against a compression spring; and a connecting portion inserted radially inside the second spring seat, the compression spring, and the first spring seat and connecting the pressing portion and the locking portion.

[0180] Based on the above aspects, the operation of locking the adjacent component to the battery box and the operation of pressing the battery pack downwards can both be performed by the operating component.

[0181] <Ninth Aspect>

[0182] According to an eighth aspect of this disclosure, the operating member may include: a camshaft disposed on a side opposite to the compression spring relative to the second spring seat; and a cam lever abutting the second spring seat and changing the position of the second spring seat relative to the first spring seat by rotating about the camshaft.

[0183] Based on the above, users can generate a biasing force to bias adjacent components downwards through intuitive and easy-to-understand operations such as tilting or raising the cam lever.

[0184] <Tenth Aspect>

[0185] According to an eighth aspect of this disclosure, the locked portion may include a hollow cylindrical cam having an engagement hole and being secured to a battery compartment. The locking portion may be an engagement pin capable of engaging the engagement hole. The engagement hole may have a helical shape that guides the engagement pin downward when the operating member rotates about a rotation axis extending in the bias direction of the compression spring. The lower end portion of the engagement hole may have a shape for retaining the engagement pin.

[0186] Based on the above aspects, a biasing force can be generated to bias the adjacent member downward, and the adjacent member can be locked to the battery box by rotating the operating member.

[0187] <Eleventh aspect>

[0188] According to a first or second aspect of this disclosure, the pressing mechanism may be disposed on a first side in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the battery pack is pressed. The battery case may include a engaging portion that engages with an adjacent member on a second side opposite to the first side in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the battery pack is pressed, the battery pack being disposed between the first and second sides.

[0189] Based on the above, the number of pressing mechanisms can be reduced compared to the case where the pressing mechanisms are located on both sides of the battery pack.

[0190] <Twelfth Aspect>

[0191] A straddle-type vehicle includes: a battery pack configured to store electric power; a battery support member supporting the battery pack from below; and a pressing mechanism including an abutment member capable of abutting the battery pack when the battery pack is supported by the battery support member, and the pressing member being configured to press the abutment member against the battery pack. The pressing mechanism includes: a locking portion capable of displacement between a locked position where the abutment member is locked to the battery support member and an unlocked position where the lock is released; a pressing portion capable of displacement between a pressed position where the abutment member is pressed against the battery pack and a pressed-release position where the press is released; and an actuator configured to displace the locking portion and the pressing portion.

[0192] Based on the above, the displacement of the locking and pressing parts can be achieved by a single actuator, which improves operability compared to performing the locking and pressing operations with multiple different actuators.

[0193] A straddle-type vehicle may have the following characteristics.

[0194] The adjacent component can be a cover that covers the battery pack supported by the battery support from above. According to the above construction, the upper part of the battery pack can be protected while the cover is pressed downwards against the battery pack.

[0195] A battery support member can support at least one battery pack from below, such that the upper surfaces of the at least one battery pack are aligned with each other, and a cover can abut the upper surface of at least one battery pack. According to the above configuration, the biasing force of a compression spring can be applied to multiple battery packs via the cover.

Claims

1. A straddle-type vehicle comprising: A battery case having a housing space for accommodating a battery pack and an opening for attaching and removing the battery pack via opening the housing space; The pressing mechanism includes an inner cover and a retainer. The inner cover is capable of abutting the battery pack while the battery pack is housed in the storage space of the battery box. The retainer holds the inner cover abutting the battery pack while pressing the inner cover against the battery pack. as well as An outer cover, which bypasses the pressing mechanism and is connected to the battery compartment, opens and closes the opening of the battery compartment, wherein... The accommodating space includes the battery space occupied by the housed battery pack and the remaining space, and The straddle-type vehicle further includes a partition wall that, in the longitudinal direction of the straddle-type vehicle, divides the remaining space into a retainer space that accommodates the retainer and another remaining space that does not accommodate the battery pack and the retainer.

2. The straddle-type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, The pressing mechanism is located inside the accommodating space.

3. The straddle-type vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The inner cover can be removed from the battery compartment.

4. The straddle-type vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The outer cover has a thickness dimension smaller than that of the inner cover.

5. The straddle-type vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The pressing mechanism includes: Compression spring, A first spring seat, which is fixed to the inner cover and configured to support a first end portion of the compression spring; and A second spring seat, connected to the inner cover to be movable relative to the inner cover, is configured to support a second end portion of the compression spring; and The retainer is capable of holding the second spring seat in a state where the second spring seat is displaced relative to the first spring seat, such that the inner cover is biased toward the battery pack by the compression spring.

6. The straddle-type vehicle according to claim 5, wherein, The pressing mechanism includes a locked part and a locking part. The locked part is fixed to the battery compartment, and the locking part is connected to the inner cover and can be locked to the locked part when the inner cover is adjacent to the battery pack.

7. The straddle-type vehicle according to claim 6, wherein, The pressing mechanism includes an operating member having the locking portion and being operated to lock the locking portion to the locked portion. The first spring seat and the second spring seat each have an annular shape, and The operating component further includes: The pressing portion is configured to press the second spring seat against the compression spring, and The connecting portion is inserted radially inside the second spring seat, the compression spring, and the first spring seat, and connects the pressing portion and the locking portion.

8. The straddle-type vehicle according to claim 7, wherein, The operating component includes: A camshaft, the camshaft being disposed on the side opposite to the compression spring relative to the second spring seat; and A cam lever, which is adjacent to the second spring seat and changes the position of the second spring seat relative to the first spring seat by rotating about the camshaft.

9. The straddle-type vehicle according to claim 7, wherein, The locked portion includes a hollow cylindrical cam having an engagement hole and being fixed to the battery compartment. The locking portion is a locking pin capable of engaging with the engagement hole. The engagement hole has a helical shape, which guides the engagement pin downwards when the operating member rotates about a rotation axis extending in the bias direction of the compression spring. The lower portion of the engagement hole has a shape for retaining the engagement pin.

10. The straddle-type vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The pressing mechanism is located on a first side in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the battery pack is pressed, and The battery case includes a joining portion that engages with the inner cover on a second side, the second side being opposite to the first side in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the battery pack is pressed, the battery pack being arranged between the first side and the second side.

11. The straddle-type vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The battery box is tilted backward relative to the vertical direction, and The retainer is located on the downward-sloping side of the upper surface of the battery pack.

12. The straddle-type vehicle according to claim 11, further comprising: The housing including the partition wall, wherein, The retainer includes an operating member configured to receive user input, and The housing is positioned above the operating component of the retainer.

13. The straddle-type vehicle according to claim 12, wherein, With the housing disposed in the remaining space, the retainer is accommodated in the retainer space.

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